catalinbread Formula No.55 (Catalinbred) Overdrive

The Catalinbread Formula No.55 is a next-generation overdrive pedal inspired by the 5E3 Tweed Deluxe sound, meticulously recreating the preamp section of the classic 5E3 amplifier.
The original preamp circuitry has been replaced with an all-discrete JFET-based signal path, and the volume and tone controls are modeled after the original circuits to achieve the response of a genuine tweed amplifier.
It has a low output impedance and can drive your amp with a punchy tone.
The Hi/Lo switch allows you to switch between the clean response of vintage tweed and the hot rod tone of a high-gain model with tubes swapped out.
The Formula No. 55 gives the 5E3 preamp the response of a larger power section. This has the effect of increasing the cabinet size. It achieves the response of a larger amp while retaining the character of a smaller amp. The Formula No. 55 does not contain vacuum tubes. Instead, it uses JFETs, which have the dynamic response and harmonic content closest to vacuum tubes. Designed to capture the widest possible range of 5E3 tones, from Grant Green to Crazy Horse, it offers a dynamic response ranging from smoky to full-bodied, and the guitar volume allows for easy picking control of distortion. To achieve this sound, we tested a variety of parts. Everything, including carbon-composite resistors and carefully selected capacitors, was carefully selected for its sound.
It includes premium parts, but the sound is not good because it uses premium parts, but because the parts were selected appropriately.


●Power supply
The Formula No. 55 runs on a standard effects pedal power supply or a 9V battery. It accepts a center-negative 9VDC to 18VDC adapter, and running it at 18V provides higher volume, headroom, and percussive attack. Running it at 9V produces a softer sound with more distortion. It can be used like the difference between a 50W amp and a 100W amp.
18V operation makes a clear difference. It's especially ideal for playing in a band, as the attack and clarity of the sound are effective in an ensemble. Also, using a 9V battery with around 3-4V of power left produces a softer sound, perfect for late-night jam sessions where you can't play too loud. Of course, you can get the same effect by using a power supply with adjustable voltage. Lowering the voltage also produces a slightly more British, quieter sound.
Try changing the voltage to find the sound you like.


Generally speaking, Formula No. 55 performs best with a tube amp set to clean. However, contrary to our expectations at the time of design, Formula No. 55 also produced excellent results with a distorted tube amp.
To get the best tone and response from your Formula No. 55 tube amp, make sure the amp's tubes are in good condition. The first stage of your amp's preamp is particularly important to the Formula No. 55; if the tubes in this stage are poor, the Formula No. 55 may sound weak, harsh, or unintelligible.

*Some parts of the casing are unpainted.
The unpainted parts may have scratches or color differences that occurred during the manufacturing process of the case, but they are left as is.

True bypass switching Input impedance: 1M
Output impedance: 15k
Powered by a DC9-18V center negative adapter or a 9V battery. Dimensions (WxDxH): 67 x 112 x 52mm (including protrusions)
・Weight: 230g

Controls: VOLUME, TONE, MASTER, PRESNCE, HI/LO